12 May 2014: Monday ... Body Pump w/Helena & Body Combat w/Renee ... 1st oil change for '12 Accord ... mowed lawn (Skeesha arrived) ... the birds at Shipley Manor Nursing Home ... pianist/singer audience member

I was the sole male in a packed Activity Room at the Western Y this morning when Helena, the beauty of Brighton, began her Body Pump workout at 8:00 a.m. I have no problem with that but it is a bit lonely and male companionship would be appreciated. It was a good workout as Helena runs a mean and hard working shift with the weights and bar. Before the start, spoke to a regular, Carolyn, who has worked out all her life but says she avoided sports in high school due to inherent clumsiness (which I tended to doubt). She knew my name and I had to ask hers. Tutt, tutt Nyhoff!

Seagull at Brighton Beach in England.

Afterward, took Body Combat with Renee and that's always invigorating and instructive. She is a great teacher, much like Helena but a different style (a different workout, of course), but I got to be next to one of my favorite (and really, only) German friends, Christa. She is  very good at BC and so enthusiastic (she leaves a bit early to do a later Body Pump in the AR) and there was, in the front, the always delightful Heidi. Next to me (there were a total of 3 men in BC) was a newcomer, a self-professed double black belt who taught the art for 8 years consistently, every day. He was short, bald headed and lean and he definitely knew the kicks and punches but was shaky on the routines (of course). All in all, a great workout. I'm learning to really enjoy BC thanks to the enthusiasm of the participants. Oh, forgot to mention the slim (she birthed two 9-pound babies) Theresa, all of 100 pounds soaking wet, who was the Energizer Bunny with her knee lifts and her running in place. Inexhaustible. 

Too chunky for Theresa.